Abstract

Living organisms rely on flows to perform essential functions that range from swimming and feeding in unicellular organisms to mucus clearance in humans. These flows are generated by the inte­grated activity of thousands of micrometer scale cilia attached to cell surfaces. Collections of cilia exhibit highly complex temporal patterns known as metachronal waves. While patterns of cilia coordination have been observed for decades, the mechanisms underlying their formation and their contribution to flow generation remain unclear. In my talk I will discuss the advantages of ciliated swimmers as experimental model systems where measurements of the geometric and dynamic properties of cilia arrays and can be readily performed. Performing precise measurements and perturbations of temporal patterning in cilia arrays and flows will enable the identification of the mechanisms underlying pattern formation. This integrated view that seeks to link cilia dynamics with flow structure will significantly increase our understanding of the physiology of cilia arrays. Beyond their physiological significance, arrays of cilia provide an accessible experimental platform to explore the physics of multi scale pattern formation.